America’s grasslands are in the middle of the country where there is insufficient rain to support forests but too much to be a desert.
America’s grasslands are in the middle of the country where there is insufficient rain to support forests but too much to be a desert. The eastern portion of these grasslands receives the most rain and is known as the prairie pothole region. Each year, almost half of America’s breeding waterfowl raise their broods across flooded potholes, and millions of migrating songbirds stop here to rest and refuel. The grasslands from the Mississippi River west to the Rocky Mountains known as the Great Plains historically supported not only millions of bison, pronghorn, and elk but smaller unique grassland mammals (e.g., swift fox, Great Plains wolf, black footed ferret, Franklin’s ground squirrel), songbirds (e.g., Henslow’s sparrow, grasshopper sparrow, bobolink, short-eared owl), and reptiles (Eastern Massasauga, ornate box turtle).
Since European settlement, approximately half of all grasslands have been converted to cultivated cropland or other uses leading to extinctions of several sub-species (Badlands Bighorn sheep, Great Plains wolf) and the imperilment of many species (birds, Swift fox, Eastern Massasauga, Black-foot ferret).
Grasslands Research
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS grasslands research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS grasslands data is available from the button below.
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS grasslands research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS grasslands publications is available from the button below.
Land management strategies influence soil organic carbon stocks of prairie potholes of North America Land management strategies influence soil organic carbon stocks of prairie potholes of North America
Land management strategies influence soil organic carbon stocks of prairie potholes of North America Land management strategies influence soil organic carbon stocks of prairie potholes of North America
Grasslands maintain stability in productivity through compensatory effects and dominant species stability under extreme precipitation patterns Grasslands maintain stability in productivity through compensatory effects and dominant species stability under extreme precipitation patterns
Evaluating establishment of conservation practices in the Conservation Reserve Program across the central and western United States Evaluating establishment of conservation practices in the Conservation Reserve Program across the central and western United States
U.S. Geological Survey—Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center 2019–20 research activity report U.S. Geological Survey—Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center 2019–20 research activity report
Landscape characterization of floral resources for pollinators in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States Landscape characterization of floral resources for pollinators in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States
America’s grasslands are in the middle of the country where there is insufficient rain to support forests but too much to be a desert.
America’s grasslands are in the middle of the country where there is insufficient rain to support forests but too much to be a desert. The eastern portion of these grasslands receives the most rain and is known as the prairie pothole region. Each year, almost half of America’s breeding waterfowl raise their broods across flooded potholes, and millions of migrating songbirds stop here to rest and refuel. The grasslands from the Mississippi River west to the Rocky Mountains known as the Great Plains historically supported not only millions of bison, pronghorn, and elk but smaller unique grassland mammals (e.g., swift fox, Great Plains wolf, black footed ferret, Franklin’s ground squirrel), songbirds (e.g., Henslow’s sparrow, grasshopper sparrow, bobolink, short-eared owl), and reptiles (Eastern Massasauga, ornate box turtle).
Since European settlement, approximately half of all grasslands have been converted to cultivated cropland or other uses leading to extinctions of several sub-species (Badlands Bighorn sheep, Great Plains wolf) and the imperilment of many species (birds, Swift fox, Eastern Massasauga, Black-foot ferret).
Grasslands Research
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS grasslands research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS grasslands data is available from the button below.
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS grasslands research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS grasslands publications is available from the button below.